SAN FRANCISCO -- Ford Motor Co. is getting into the car-sharing and electric bike businesses as part of CEO Mark Fields’ effort to transform the automaker into a more holistic provider of transportation options.
The company late Tuesday announced a pilot car-sharing program that invites 26,000 Ford Motor Credit Co. customers in six U.S. cities and London to offer their vehicles for short-term rentals.
It also unveiled a new battery-powered bike aimed at urban commuters. The bike folds and can be recharged while being stored inside any Ford vehicle.
“My great-grandfather helped put the world on wheels so everyone could enjoy the benefits of mobility,” Ford Executive Chairman Bill Ford said in a statement. “Our vision today is to expand that same thinking using advanced technology and new business models, and addressing the mobility challenges people face around the world.”
The Peer-2-Peer Car Sharing program and MoDe:Flex bike represent the next phase of the Ford Smart Mobility plan Fields introduced in January. Ford has been conducting 25 experiments on topics related to helping consumers get around in the future.